Five foreigners found living in Malta illegally

J. Spiteri

Oct 22nd 2008, 21:42

So at last, foreigners who were living in Malta illegally have been arrested. Whoever complained that the authorities are not doing their job well? Now we can proudly say that we don't have any more illegal residents living here right? By the way, what does "living in Malta illegally" REALLY mean?

joseph sammut

Oct 22nd 2008, 21:33

Wil they now be put on a year in prison susspended for two years,
given a house and fed

James A. Tyrrell

Oct 22nd 2008, 20:32

People appear to be jumping on the Gozo police here and I can't understand why. They are after all doing their job. Okay, it's only five but at least it's a start. Would you rather they didn't act at all?

J Grima

Oct 22nd 2008, 20:00

Msida? West Street anyone?

Denis Catania

Oct 22nd 2008, 19:37

When my son lived in Malta for 18 months. My mom took him to Floriana every three months to renew his visa. After the third time or so. The officer asked my mom, does he have Maltese born parents. When my mom answered yes and was able to prove it. They gave him an open and or longer visa. What I'm trying to say, if Maltese respect our immigration laws, why can't everyone else.Should they have told my son he can't stay in Malta, he would have returned to the U.S.A. Before any do-gooders jump to any conclusion. He paid for private school, and always went to private doctors, and also paid his full fares on the buses. He put money into Malta's economy, not drained from it. Although he did try to drain me while he was there. Most foreigners that live in places like Gzira are known if they are legal or not. The police should too at some point. But I agree we can't go and harass every foreigner, whether they are Arabs, Black or White. Undercover immigration officers have to cruise the Islands and obtain information legally and in a civil way.

Jennifer Cosaitis

Oct 22nd 2008, 19:22

Maybe the police should look around them in Malta...

claire roberts

Oct 22nd 2008, 18:32

in france i was asked more than once to show iD while waiting for a train!.,.,i had never known this before and felt i was singled out ,till i was told it,s the norm for police to ask in a ny public place for ID.,,.even the french were asked to show!!

d. borg

Oct 22nd 2008, 18:21

What happens to these 5 now? I presume they are sent away from Malta. So how come the illegal immigrants who come with no documents at all are not treated the same way as these five?

l Galea

Oct 22nd 2008, 17:58

We have thousands of illegal immigrants.
This is racism because the Government is discriminating between different races.

J. Abela

Oct 22nd 2008, 17:51

@A. Sciberras
You solution is really appealing. Welcome back to communism!. How comfortable will you be to be asked for a passport when you're abroad - i mean a genuine tourist. Seems like you've never visited Eastern Europe countries!.

Marcel Dingli

Oct 22nd 2008, 17:46

Now we are having them knocking on our doors to beg too !!!!

deb bugeja

Oct 22nd 2008, 17:13

They should try Bugibba and Qawra too..

Joseph Sciberras

Oct 22nd 2008, 16:54

Irregular Immigrants ENTERED Malta illegally but once they are in the Open Centres they are not here illegally. The case of this 5 is different.

As for the idea of A Sciberras that the Police should stop all foreigners and ask to see documents - how will they cope with tourists? Someone else will soon be proposing that the people in the open centres should be made to wear a yellow star...wait I think someone tried this before us!!!

Olina Tretyak

Oct 22nd 2008, 16:52

@I Abela
Those who come legally, with visa entry, must leave as soon as their visa finished. Those who come on boats, illegally, with no visa entry, can stay and must be given food and roof and jobs. Its rather discrimination by the type of arrival. They can be the same nationality, like, for example, some Nigerians come with visa and live on working permits, and some come by boats and live in open centers.

T Mifsud

Oct 22nd 2008, 16:44

The police in Gozo have arrested FIVE FOREIGNERS WHO WHERE FOUND TO BE IN MALTA WITHOUT THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION"

Goodness gracious me! Five?

Are there any other foreigners that are found to be in Malta without the required documentation by any chance?

I Abela

Oct 22nd 2008, 16:07

And what about the hundreds living in the Marsa and Hal Far open centres? Do they have the required documentation? Obviously not !! Are we now discriminating between African and Arabs?

A. Sciberras

Oct 22nd 2008, 16:04

I am very surprised that there are only 5!!! Try Gzira and Msida for example and you will be surprised!! We should do like the Italians (and now the British will be doing). If you are a foreigner in Milan and look like a foreigner living there you get police stopping you and asking for permesso di soggiorno! We should try this!!

M. Fenech

Oct 22nd 2008, 15:30

WOW .. only 5 (five)?!?!?